Rajya Sabha passes Telangana Bill: As it happened

The government is all set to pass the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2014 in Rajya Sabha.

Zee Media Bureau/Kamna Arora and Himanshu Kapoor

8:05 pm Rajya Sabha passes Telangana Bill After the day-long debate, protesting MPs, chanting of slogans and the Prime Minister announcing special package for Seemandhra, the Rajya Sabha has passed the Telangana Bill. 7:40 pm Voting begins on Telangana Bill in Rajya Sabha Rajya Sabha chairman PJ Kurien said that the discussion on the Telangana Bill is over and has put the bill to vote. Clause by clause voting underway in Rajya Sabha over Telangana bill. 7:30 pm PM Manmohan Singh announces special package for Seemandhra As Singh started to speak, protesting MPs started shouting slogans of "phaad do phenk do! (tear it and throw it)" and tore up Telangana Bill. The PM`s voice could not be heard under loud slogans being shouted by the MPs and his speech was distrupted. Manmohan Singh announced special package for Seemandhra. Singh said that Status will be extended to successor state of Andhra comprising 13 districts. "The announcement will demonstrate govt`s steadfast commitment to creation of Telangana and to continued prosperity for Seemandhra," PM said. Special category state status for Seemandhra for 5 years, says Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde in Rajya Sabha. 7:19 pm Time to create Telangana has come: Kapil Sibal As Arun Jaitley demanded amendment in Telangana Bill, Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal said that all the powers vested in the Governor are supplemental, incidental and consequential to the law. Exhorting that the time has come for the formation of Telangana, Sibal said "It is very difficult to satisfy the emotions of everyone. And we must respect those emotions. Parliament has to make a law and governments have to take decisions." When a state is being reorganised, various issues need to be addressed, he said. 7:10 pm Jaitley reiterates BJP`s support to formation of Telangana BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley expressed concern for the people of Seemandhra. Jaitley said that we (BJP) have not been able to address satisfactorily the concerns of Seemandhra. Deeply disappointed by the way UPA has gone through the process of Telangana Bill, Jaitely said in Rajya Sabha He, however, reiterated BJP`s full support to the formation of Telangana as protesting MPs shout - "Illegal Bill waapas lo waapas lo!" and "Illegal bill phaad do, phek do." We need to show complete justice to both Telangana and Seemandhra, said Jaitley. 6:51 pm Derek O`Brien shouts slogans, Paswan supports bill President of Lok Janshakti Party Ram Vilas Paswan said that he supports the Telangana Bill in Rajya Sabha. He also demanded that Maharashtra be divided into three states. Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress`s Derek O`Brien shouted `Congress, BJP bhai, bhai` slogan in Rajya Sabha during Telangana debate. 6:39 pm PM to speak on special package for Seemandhra As the BJP`s Venkaiah Naidu demanded a special package for people of Seemandhra, Prime Minister will shortly speak on the special package demand by the Opposition. Naidu said that the Centre should announce a Rs 10,000 crore package for Seemandhra. 6:23 pm: DMK stages walkout over Telangana Bill Opposing the Telangana Bill, DMK`s Kanimozhi said that the bill raises concerns on India`s federal structure. "We oppose the bifurcation of Andhra for creation of Telangana and walk out of this," Kanimozhi said. 5:47 pm: Sitaram Yechury opposes Andhra bifurcation CPM`s Sitaram Yechury in Rajya Sabha said that his party is against the creation of Telangana. "It is an irony that AP has been divided today," he said. Attacking the Congress and BJP over the division issue, Yechury said that it is unfortunate that both parties are bargaining for economic packages. 5:31 pm: Mayawati demands division of other big states Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati in Rajya Sabha said that her party supports the creation of Telangana. "Telangana should have been created a long time back, it is a very old demand," she said. Mayawati also demanded that other bigger states like Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra be also divided into smaller states. "Even after carving out Uttarakhand out of Uttar Pradeh, BSP still feels that the state should further be divided into four more parts," she said while speaking in Rajya Sabha over the creation of Telangana. 5:26 pm: BJP trying to stall Telangana Bill: Chiranjeevi Congress MP Chiranjeevi, "talking on behalf of all Telugu people", said that he`s pained to see what happened in the two Houses and he`s pained to go against his party`s stand over Telangana creation. He said that the process that is being adopted to create Telangana is very unfortunate. Blaming the BJP of trying to stall the passage of the bill, Chiranjeevi said Only Congress cannot be blamed for the mess. BJP has suddenly started demanding amendments. 5:20 pm: We want peaceful, brotherly divisions: Venkaiah Naidu Naidu blamed Congress of creating mess in the Andhra bifurcation issue and called the creation of Telangana an election gimmick by the Congress in Rajya Sabha. While accusing Congress of double standards on the issue, Naidu said that the BJP wants peaceful, brotherly divisions. Provide allocation, then divide, he said. 4:52 pm: Venkaiah Naidu raises concerns for Seemandhra BJP`s Venkaiah Naidu says that party supports creation of Telangana, but we is concerned about people of Seemandhra. Seemandhra has 60% of Andhra`s population and just 40% AP`s revenue, Naidu said in Rajya Sabha. Naidu also demanded special status for the state of Seemandhra. Centre should announce a Rs 10,000 crore package for Seemandhra, he said. 4:50 pm: Rajya Sabha resumes After the fourth adjournment in one and a half hour, the Rajya Sabha resumes debate over the Telangana Bill. 4:35 pm: Uproar continues, Rajya Sabha adjourned again As the uproar continued in the Upper House of Parliament, Rajya Sabha was adjourned for 15 minutes. This is the fourth adjournment in one and a half hour. 4:11 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 4:25 pm The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 4:25 pm amid uproar over Telangana. 4:03 pm: Kurien on T-Bill Rajya Sabha moves amendments to the clauses in the Telangana Bill. Meanwhile, Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha PJ Kurien makes a statement, says there is a consensus on Telangana debate. He further urged MPs to maintain order for discussion. "You can vote against the bill, that is democracy," Kurien told dissenting MPs. Rajya Sabha Seemandhra MPs are holding up banners reading, `illegal bill from Lok Sabha`. 3:40 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned till 4 PM The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 4 PM over Telangana. 3:37 pm: JAC plans to move SC The Advocates Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Andhra Pradesh`s Seemandhra districts is contemplating to fight the Telangana issue in Supreme Court. "Our battle will be shifted to Delhi where we will take up legal fight against the formation of Telangana by approaching Supreme Court," advocates` JAC convenor and Vijayawada Bar Association president M Jayakar Babu said today. Also Read: AP division issue: Seemandhra lawyers JAC plans to move SC 3:26 pm: Ansari calls meeting Vice President Hamid Ansari calls meeting of all party leaders, including Jaitley, over the Telengana issue. 3:25 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned again for 15 minutes. 03:22 pm: Protests in Rajya Sabha The Rajya Sabha Chairman urges members to maintain order but uproar continues in the house over Telangana. 3:14 pm: Marshals called in RS Marshals have been called in Rajya Sabha by the Deputy Chairman after uproar over Telangana bill, say TV reports. 3:12 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned again Rajya Sabha adjourned yet again, to resume after 10 minutes. 3:10 pm: Shinde moves Telangana Bill in RS Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde moves Telangana Bill in the Rajya Sabha for consideration amid bedlam. Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley, others oppose the bill on grounds of constitutional invalidity. 3:00 pm: Rajya Sabha resumes Rajya Sabha resumes. Uproar over Telangana. 1:30 pm: Rajya Sabha set to take up Telangana bill The Rajya Sabha is set to take up the Telangana statehood bill after an agreement was reached between the ruling and opposition parties, say Congress and BJP sources. The BJP is set to move amendments, seeking a financial package for the residual state of Seemandhra, say sources. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is likely to address the upper house and assure financial assistance to Seemandhra, as the Adnhra and Rayalseema regions are together called and would form the residual state. The agreement was reached after hectic discussions and a series of meetings since Wednesday. Also Read: Rajya Sabha set to take up Telangana bill 1:20 pm: Parliament Session can be extended Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said the Parliament Session, concluding on Friday, can be extended to pass crucial bills. The deadlock over the Telangana bill persisted with the government today accusing BJP of bringing amendments at the eleventh hour. "We have listed the Telangana bill in Rajya Sabha and we would be attempting to get it passed. The question of amendments at this stage does not arise," Nath told reporters. Criticising BJP, he said the opposition party had moved no amendment in Lok Sabha, "(but) they suddenly changed their mind and want to move amendments". He said BJP voted against similar amendments moved by members of other parties in Lok Sabha. 1:15 pm: Confusion over status of AP Cabinet Confusion prevailed over the status of Andhra Pradesh Cabinet as an official notification is yet to be issued on the acceptance of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy`s resignation. Also Read: Kiran Reddy`s resignation: Confusion over status of AP Cabinet 12:55 pm: AP Governor sends report to Centre Andhra Pradesh Governor ESL Narasimhan has sent a report to the Centre following the resignation of N Kiran Kumar Reddy as Chief Minister to protest the state`s division. The Governor has not asked Reddy to be the caretaker Chief Minister, Raj Bhavan sources said, without going into the details. Also Read: AP Governor sends report to Centre after CM`s resignation 12:35 pm: Rajya Sabha adjourned again The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm. 12:30 pm: BJP not in favour of extending session According to reports, the BJP has told the government that it is not in favour of extension of the Winter Session of Parliament, which is concluding on Friday. 12:20 pm: Telangana Bill in Rajya Sabha at 2 pm The Telangana Bill is likely to come up in Rajya Sabha at 2 pm, said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath. 12:01 pm: RS adjourned The upper house has been adjourned again till 12:30 pm amid protests over Telangana and other issues. 11:39 am: Shinde, Ramesh meet BJP leaders Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath and Union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh met senior BJP leaders at LK Advani`s parliamentary chamber. 11:07 am: RS adjourned The Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till noon as members protested the proposed formation of a Telangana state. As soon as the house met for the day, members raised slogans for a united Andhra Pradesh and created din in the house. 11:05 am: Turmoil in RS Uproar in Rajya Sabha over Telangana Bill 11:03 am: PM`s statement on Telangana today Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will make a statement on Telangana today. 10:50 am: Telangana Bill in RS at 3 pm The Telangana Bill is expected to come up in Rajya Sabha at 3 pm today. 8:00 am: Telangana Bill to be taken up in Rajya Sabha today A day after the Lok Sabha passed the bill for formation of Telangana amid pandemonium and a blackout of televised proceedings, the bill could not be taken up in the upper house on Wednesday due to absence of consensus over amendments. The Rajya Sabha is likely to take up the bill on Thursday. Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajeev Shukla had yesterday assured the bill will be taken up in Rajya Sabha on Thursday, as hectic parleys went on between government and opposition leaders.